BP2 and others have already shown the that area was leased from Zanzibar during that time. It would be like you leasing a house from someone, yet all the (property related) bills would still be sent under the owner's name to that address...instead of you..the 'renter.'
Or, similarly, the Panama Canal was leased to the U.S.
Hong Kong would be another example.
The Lease of Hong KongYou may be wondering, "Wait a minute, Britain just grabbed Hong Kong. Where did the lease come in, then?"
The British grew increasingly worried about the security of their free port at Hong Kong during the second half of the 19th century. It was an isolated island, surrounded by areas still under Chinese control.
In 1898, the British and Chinese governments signed the Second Convention of Peking, which included a 99-year lease agreement for the island of Hong Kong.
The lease awarded control of a piece of the Chinese mainland, Kowloon, and more than 200 surrounding small islands to the British. In return, China got a promise that Hong Kong Island and the adjacent area would be returned to it after 99 years.
So, on July 1, 1997, the lease ended and the government of Great Britain transferred control of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China.
Well, I guess Keith Olberloon lies not only most of the time, but ALL of the time!